Showing posts with label DC Zinefest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DC Zinefest. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 16, 2024

Meet a Local Cartoonist: A Chat with Aayesha Ejaz

 by Mike Rhode

This year's DC Zinefest at the MLK Library had a handful of cartoonists tabling. One of them is Aayesha Ejaz, new to the DMV area. Her self-titled graphic autobiography is about growing up in India in an observant Muslim family, not fitting in, and succumbing to depression before overcoming it and moving to America. I recommend it highly, as well as her food-focused zines.

What type of comic work or cartooning do you do?

I mostly draw autobiographical comics to make things digestible and comforting for myself, and
the viewer. I share mundane things (for instance, how to make a makeshift pizza as a broke
college student!) in an endearing manner with humility and humor.

How do you do it? Traditional pen and ink, computer or a combination?


I work traditionally—I use a mechanical pencil for sketching, and then move to pens for inking. I  generally use a Pentel Fude Touch Sign pen for outlines, Paper Mate Flair Felt Tip pen for lettering and a Pentel brush pen for filling in. I prefer to color digitally on Procreate. Then I move to Photoshop for editing and InDesign for layouting.

When (within a decade is fine) and where were you born?

I was born in 1998 in New Delhi, India.

Why are you in Washington now? What neighborhood or area do you live in?

I recently moved for work from St. Louis to Fredericksburg—one small city to another!

What is your training and/or education in cartooning?

This is a long story! I did my undergrad from the Indian Institute of Art and Design in Communication  Design—a mix of graphic design, UI/UX, animation, etc. The program allowed me to test my waters. Towards the end of my undergrad, I realized that the projects that I enjoyed the most involved illustration and storytelling.

During my final semester, my brother shared with me about a comic making workshop with Gabrielle Bell. The online workshop helped me learn the A-Z of comics—terms like “emanata” and “pacing” and allowed me to create characters even if they were just stick figures. I was amazed by how much one panel could encapsulate and how relatable everyone's personal narratives were.

I would often struggle with translating thumbnails onto a bigger page for a picture book, but with panels, things didn’t seem that intimidating. So after the workshop, I decided to enroll myself in grad school for illustration. I was admitted into the MFA Illustration and Visual Culture program at Washington University in St. Louis. The program focused on both writing and creating, whether it was comics, picture books, editorial illustrations or infographics.

Who are your influences?

I devoured the entire Captain Underpants series as a kid which validated my quirky sense of humor. I love Lucy Knisley, Malaka Gharib, and Liz Prince—I enjoy the humanized nature of their style and the infographics in their storytelling always makes things more interesting. I’m always in awe of Raina Telgemier’s books as well. Her work is the warm hug my younger self needed :)

What work are you best-known for?

My Makeshift Pizza comic/infographic! All thanks to Dan Zettwoch’s mentorship, and my grad school cohort for trying the recipe the weekend after the class critique.

What work are you most proud of?

The graphic memoir that I wrote and illustrated for my MFA thesis. Never thought I’d be able to share my thoughts and feelings with brevity (in a long-form comic book).

What would you like to do or work on in the future?

I definitely see myself illustrating more stories. I’d also like to explore surface design more—making prints, products and patterns with animals and faces to give my sketchbook doodles a home.

What do you do when you're in a rut or have writer's block?

I keep trying—I keep writing, drawing or looking at similar stuff that already exists. I also share whatever I have with a friend or family member. Going for a walk and changing my environment also helps.

What local cons do you attend? The Small Press Expo, Awesome Con, or others? Any
comments about attending them?

Coming from Missouri, I’ve tabled at KC Zine Con, Cherokee Print Bazaar, SLICE and DC Zinefest. Tabling definitely gives one an idea about what sells, but the crowd has been different in all these places… I’m generally quite quiet at these events, but I’ve recently started interacting
with whoever stops by my table. 


What comic books do you read regularly or recommend? Do you have a local store?

I used to get my comics from Betty's Books (The best comic bookstore I’ve been to in the US so far) or the St. Louis Public Library. The summer of 2023 was my comics summer. Here are some of my favorites:  Blancaflor, The Hero with Secret Powers: A Folktale from Latin America by Nadja Spiegelman and Sergio García Sánchez; Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas; Snapdragon by Kat Leyh; In Limbo by Deb JJ Lee; Shubeik Lubeik by Deena Mohamed; Hey Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka; and Iranian Love Stories by Jane Deuxard.

What's your favorite thing about DC?

I’ve been here many times to visit my brother. I’ve always liked DC for its public transit, cleanliness and museums. And all the ice cream parlors, especially Pitango!

El Burro Loco from At The Edge of My Comfort Zone

 

How about a favorite local restaurant?

Pupatella!

Do you have a website or blog?

Yes! It’s www.eyeshacreates.com

How has the COVID-19 outbreak affected you, personally and professionally?

I think COVID-19 strengthened my belief in drawing as a career option and creating for the greater good of humanity.

Friday, August 03, 2018

Meet a Local Cartoonist: A Chat with Paul Hostetler

by Mike Rhode

DC Zinefest 2018 recently had a successful day out at Art Enables on Rhode Island Ave. I met at least six cartoonists who were new to me, and said hi to at least three I already know. (My photos are here). Paul Hostetler, illustrator and cartoonist, answered our usual questions.

What type of comic work or cartooning do you do?

Every year, for the past 5 years, I self-published a black and white mini-comic, sold pretty much exclusively at shows.  Occasionally, I'll have comics published in an alt-monthly or something, but my main wheelhouse is illustration.

How do you do it? Traditional pen and ink, computer or a combination?

Dark Ambrosia
I have a love affair with India ink, and there's probably not a method I haven't used with it, from sponges and quill pens to Microns and atomizers.  I always come back to the sable brush, though. The less time I have to spend on a computer, the better.  To me, computer coloring and shading is the dullest thing in the world.

When (within a decade is fine) and where were you born?

I was born in the 80s, but I only barely remember the first George Bush getting elected.  There was a giant turkey in his victory speech, so I might have that confused with the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Why are you in Washington now?  What neighborhood or area do you live in?

I moved to DC because my last job had me in a small town in Virginia, and I was going stir crazy with all the bluegrass music.  Right now my metro stop is Van Ness, and why the neighborhood is called "Forest Hills" instead of that is one of the things that I try to not have to think about.

What is your training and/or education in cartooning?

I was educated at the Savannah College of Art and Design, in illustration.  They have a sequential art department, but I figured the Illustration Department would give me a leg up when it came to working with a variety of media.  And it did!  Though I have to say, 80% of what I know about the comics/illustration business, I've had to learn on the job.

Who are your influences?

For writing, I feel you can't top Alan Moore. Jodorowsky was one of the writers who taught me that comics don't necessarily have to make a lot of sense.  And beyond comics, Terry Pratchett, John Kennedy Toole, P. G. Wodehouse, Agatha Christie, Michael Moorcock, Dan Harmon, and Clive Barker.  Far too many white guys, now that I think about it.
Our Dear Leader

For art, most of my biggest influences are people who have never done comics, like British illustrators Gerald Scarfe, Ralph Steadman, Ronald Searle, more recent Americans like Barry Blitt, John Cuneo, and international stars like Boulet and Tomer Hanuka.  I also dig John McLeod, Eddie Campbell, Sam Keith, Tradd Moore, and Craig Thompson, though I don't know if they count as influences.

If you could, what in your career would you do-over or change?

It's a cliche, but I would do everything sooner.  They best time to make mistakes is when you have nothing to lose, and NO ONE in the whole world has less to lose than an art student.  We are at the bottom of the barrel, right under war refugees and homeless vets.  I also would have made friends with more people, while I was stuck in a building with them every day.

What work are you best-known for?

My best-known work, sadly, is "Arkham Daycare," a Scottie Young-style piece imagining the Batman villains as toddles under the supervision of a very tired Jim Gordon.  I spent a good month chasing it around the internet and typing my attribution information in comments section.

What work are you most proud of?

I had my work put on the side of a city bus in Charlottesville, VA for a year.  I did a wraparound mural of various dinosaurs, life-size, WITH FEATHERS, so that kids who might not otherwise be able to go to a natural history museum could experience a little science.

What would you like to do  or work on in the future?

The huge majority of my time is taken up working on non-comic-related projects (hence why I only put out one mini-comic per year), but I am slowly drawing out the graphic novel I slowly wrote, which I imagine will take another few years to actually finish.  It's a murder mystery in the vein of Clue.

What do you do when you're in a rut or have writer's block?

When I'm in a rut, I watch TV and don't work at all.  I recommend it to anyone who doesn't have a deadline.  When I have writer's block, I usually think about the last thing I felt strongly enough about to comment on a website about.  There's usually an equally emotional response, and if you give those emotions to fictional characters, you can create a scenario that, in real life, would never be satisfactorily resolved.

What do you think will be the future of your field?

Print is dying, but hopefully it will last long enough that I will die first.

What local cons do you attend besides DC Zinefest? The Small Press Expo, Intervention, or others? Any comments about attending them?

Beyond DC Zinefest, I always go to SPX, though I've only won the table lottery once, and I try to attend the Richmond Zinefest in October and DC Art Book Fair in December.  A friend of mine, LA Johnson, helps put it on.  I tabled at Awesome Con once, and the Richmond Comic-Con once, and both were only slightly more pleasant than absolutely miserable.  No one goes to those for original art, only fan art and celebrity autographs.  I highly suggest trying the gyro platter at the Greek place around the corner from SPX.

What's your favorite thing about DC?

My favorite DC things would probably be Ben's Chili Bowl, and the Botanical Garden.  If they could combine the two, I doubt I'd ever have another weekend free.

Least favorite?

Could I be a true DCer if I said I hated anything more than my commute?  Also, the fat orange man who lives in the big house on Pennsylvania Avenue could go away at any time.

What monument or museum do you like to take visitors to?

I'd like to say the Renwick, because it's free and off the beaten path, but the last museum I actually DID take a visitor to was the American University Museum, to see the Ralph Steadman retrospective. They were handing out free bottles of that beer he draws the labels for.  I took a few home.

How about a favorite local restaurant?

I already mentioned Ben's Chili Bowl, so I'll have to run with Bakers and Baristas, on 7th St NW, solely for the butterkuchen.  That is the cake all other cakes want to be, fail miserably at, and die with regret in their heart for.

Do you have a website or blog?

You can find my business site at www.phostetler.com.  It includes a blog which is mostly just movie reviews, and a few digitized zines.  I'm also on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @phostetlerart.

Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Meet a Local Cartoonist: A Chat with Rachelle Holloway

by Mike Rhode

DC Zinefest 2018 recently had a successful day out at Art Enables on Rhode Island Ave. I met at least six cartoonists who were new to me, and said hi to at least three I already know. (My photos are here). Rachelle Holloway, an illustrator and cartoonist, is the first to answer our usual questions.
 
What type of comic work or cartooning do you do?

I am currently a freelance illustrator for Mascot Books. I work on children's books and draw my own webcomic, A Little Dragon Trouble, on the side. When it comes to my own personal work, I love drawing fantasy and artwork with a Scandinavian feel to it.

How do you do it? Traditional pen and ink, computer or a combination?

Most of my work is done using the computer. But I also enjoy using traditional pen and ink. Sometimes I get tired staring at the computer screen, so drawing traditionally can be relaxing. I love painting with gouache and watercolor, and I also enjoy cut paper art.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up on the West Coast, mainly in San Diego, California and Washington State. That's where I call home.


What is your training and/or education in cartooning?

In 2014, I graduated from Savannah College of Art and Design with a B.F.A in Animation. I mainly focused on 2D animation, but my primary focus and interest was Concept Art and Visual Development. I took one Sequential Art class while I was in college, but when it comes to comics, I am mostly self taught.

Who are your influences?

I have so many influences that I can't list them all. I find inspiration from everywhere and everyone! Here is a small list of people who influence my work: John Howe; John Bauer; Lorelay Bove; Brittney Lee

If you could, what in your career would you do-over or change?

If I were granted a do-over, I may have studied Illustration or Graphic Design. I don't regret studying animation, in fact, it has helped me with the creative work I’m currently doing. But on the East Coast, I have discovered a lot of skills people are looking for in the creative industry are Typography, Web and Graphic design. But that hasn’t stopped me from pursuing that education. I just finished a Web Design class at Northern Virginia Community College, and am learning new skills to better myself as a creative professional.

What work are you best-known for?

I feel I am not really best-known for anything in particular yet. My Zine, My Dog is More Paranoid Than I Am, is my most popular comic. I'm also known for having a lot of Scandinavian/Viking artwork, which gets people’s attention.

What work are you most proud of?

I am personally most proud of my webcomic, A Little Dragon Trouble. For my Senior Film In college, I wasn't able to fully do what I wanted to do. So a few years later, I developed A Little Dragon Trouble. My webcomic has also helped me in so many other ways. It has helped me gain an audience. The visual development of the comic was recognized on Behance and featured on Small Press Expo's tumblr blog. It is because of this comic I am where I am today.

What would you like to do or work on in the future?

I would like to self publish my own picture book. After illustrating a kids book for an author, I was inspired to create a short story myself. I would love to have the time to illustrate and self-publish it. I also have many comic and story ideas written down, and would like to make them a reality.


What do you do when you're in a rut or have writer's block?

When I'm having writer’s block, I write down situations or events I don't want happening in my story. Sometimes it ends up being a good idea anyway. Another approach is don't think, just write! Even if you know it's bad. You can always go back and change it later.


What do you think will be the future of your field?

I definitely see myself continuing being an illustrator and getting more requests from authors. But, I hope one day to be employed in the animation industry. But in the meantime, freelance illustration is what's keeping me going!

What local cons do you attend besides DC Zinefest? The Small Press Expo, Intervention, or others? Any comments about attending them?

I just started tabling for the first time in 2017. DC Zinefest was the first event I tabled at. I also tabled at Richmond Zinefest last year. I would love to attend larger cons such as Small Press Expo, but I want to have more work under my belt before I do that. It is a goal I am striving for.

What's your favorite thing about DC?

I'm originally from the West Coast, so finding things to love about DC was a challenge when I first arrived. In 2016, I found out that DC has an amazingly open and welcoming sequential art culture. Everyone's work is so Indie and original, I love it! They are willing to express themselves and everyone supports each other. It's because of that culture I felt comfortable enough to start displaying my own work. DC has helped me grow as an artist, even though the artist culture is small. But that's what makes it so great!

How about a favorite local restaurant?

There's this wonderful place called the JINYA Ramen Bar in Fairfax, VA. I like to go there to celebrate the completion of large projects.

Do you have a website or blog?

http://rahcomics.tumblr.com/

https://www.instagram.com/rahcomics/

http://rachelleholloway.blogspot.com/ 

"A traditional ink trading card I sold at last years Richmond Zinefest."

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Meet a Local Cartoonist: A Chat with Jasmine Pinales

by Mike Rhode

Jasmine Pinales exhibited at the DC Zinefest and agreed to answer our usual questions afterward. She will be at SPX this fall if you'd like to meet her, and her comics are for sale now on her website. (All images are taken from her website).

What type of comic work or cartooning do you do?

I write and draw fiction and autobio comics.


How do you do it? Traditional pen and ink, computer or a combination?

My work is all traditional. I pencil, ink and letter on paper. I've used ink, markers and watercolor for my final pages depending on what best fits a project. I have produced some digital art but it never feels as strong as my traditional art, I don't think it's the best representation of my art. I lay out my comics on computer and do corrections and clean up.

When (within a decade is fine) and where were you born?

1988.

Why are you in Washington now?  What neighborhood or area do you live in?

I live outside of DC in Fairfax County. We moved here when I was 3 and I've been here most of my life. I went to Norfolk for college then returned.

What is your training and/or education in cartooning?

Most of my comics work is self taught. I spent my childhood reading the WashPo comics section, collected Garfield, Calvin & Hobbes and other strips. In late elementary school I got interested in anime and manga and started copying that while still be interested in  American cartoons and the eventual rise of webcomics on the internet. I've never taken a comics class, I've learned by example and reading all of the backmatter in comics about how pages are made. I've got Eisner's books on comics, and McCloud's which gave me more concrete ideas on how to make better comics. I have a BFA in Studio Art where I focused on comics for my Senior Show, so I have art training.

Who are your influences?

Everything. I really got into Will Eisner's work between The Spirit and his more personal projects after he was done with that. Piet Mondrian is one of my favorite painters, I love Dali and Caravaggio. Yuko Ota and Meredith Gran have some of the best comic timing and gorgeously clean art. Takako Shimura has comics fill of emotional characters and art that has a nice weight to it. So many cartoons, I loved The Weekenders and Recess as a kid. I've pulled visual cues I like from Jen Wang, I really like the was she draws eyes. Craig Thompson's work is gorgeous and made me want to try harder with brushes/brush pens. Internet discussions have made me more confident and inspired to try a broader variety in body types and more diversity, even though plenty of my early characters had variety.

If you could, what in your career would you do-over or change?

 All of my past experiences have brought me to where I am now and things would be different if I changed anything. That said, it'd be interesting to see how things could be different if I had gone into college focusing on comics and art and not transferring to comics after a few years in science.

What work are you best-known for?

I don't think I'm known for anything at this moment.

What work are you most proud of?

"How to Make Friends and Captivate People", it's my longest comic to date at 28 pages or so, the printed book has 40 because of an extra story. It was a struggle to produce as I had never tried such a long narrative and I misjudged how long it would take.

What would you like to do  or work on in the future?

 I'd like to continue working on my various stories and characters. I have a female knight and prince story; a group of theater nerd kids; a depressed robot and a myriad of others that I'm sketching out and thinking over slowly. I have a lot of ideas and just need the money and time to focus on them.

What do you do when you're in a rut or have writer's block?

I'll step away from a project and create differently. Changing media or tools helps to reinvigorate me to focus on the main projects I'm working toward. This year I got into Hamilton and drew a mess of art, sketches and comics and in the past few weeks I've been listening to the audiobook of Jurassic Park and have had a wealth of ideas for mini comics about the first book that have relatively little to do with the movie. Sometimes indulging and receiving media is necessary to get a new spark, you'll see the right turn of phrase and everything starts turning again and you can keep creating. Another thing I've done, in 2013 after college I stopped drawing just to take a break and I felt awful not drawing anything after a few months so I forced myself to do a little sketch before bed.

 Those sketches turned into a sketchbook I have a shows for sale as I worked through being burnt out and getting back into the groove of production. In 2014 I did a daily sketchbook where I tried different ideas in the small spaces I had. These were for me but sharing them was a great experience too as I became more comfortable with what I could do in the space provided and looked up new topics.

What do you think will be the future of your field? 

More independent creators and creator owned work becoming popular and bigger powerhouses in comics shops. Image does an amazing job putting creators first and Fantom Comics in Dupont Circle works so hard to promote creator own material even as they stock DC and Marvel. They're still big in supporting local DMV creators.

What local cons do you attend? The Small Press Expo, Intervention, or others? Any comments about attending them?

I've attended SPX since 2012 and this is my first year tabling it, I'm excited. It's a lovely show to attend, a large crowd but there's so much positivity and love for comics in everyone attending and tabling it's great. I'll have at least one new book there that weekend that I'm working on. I'm at L7.

BMore Into Comics in Baltimore is a fun little day show. It's tiny -- in a bar -- but as an attendee you would have plenty of time to talk to the local artists who are tabling. An upside to small shows over big shows and some great local creators go there.

The DC Zinefest - I've shown there since 2015, the audience is very enthusiastic. It's great seeing how many female creators there are.

The Richmond Zinefest, I've tabled there two times now, and it's been in different venues both years, but has been going on for a while in its previous venue. The way it was set up in the library felt confusing as a tabler, maybe it was better for someone who knows that library better, but I heard from many people as they stumbled to the room I was in they were surprised there was another room.

Locus Moon in Philly, I showed there in 2015, it was a ton of fun. Great creators and audience. Everyone there was super enthusiastic. I've heard they're focusing more on publishing and I'd like to go to the show again, not sure if it's happening anymore.

Comics Arts Brooklyn - a small show in a church in Brooklyn, NY. Like smaller shows you get a great change to meet and talk to a creator for a while. Attendance has been enthusiastic and it's at a pretty good time of year in November, chilly but not too cold.

What's your favorite thing about DC?

The variety of people and things to do.

Least favorite?

Metro. Also driving around here is a hassle, not always a direct way someplace. I can drive from where I am to Maryland in 30 minutes or to the middle of the city in 45.

What monument or museum do like to take visitors to?

I don't have many visitors, I'd want to show them the [National Gallery of Art's] East and West Galleries though; I'm a big fan of art history.

How about a favorite local restaurant?

Daikaya in Chinatown. Both the upstairs Izakaya and the downstairs ramen bar.

Do you have a website or blog?

jasmine-pinales.com also meisterjdraws.tumblr.com

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

June 20: Zinefest benefit


The D.C. Zinefest folks are hosting a benefit Friday for the Richmond (Va.) Zinefest (both shows feature a good dose of self-published comics, mostly by creators in the area; BTW, the D.C. Zinefest will be held Aug. 9 this year; the Richmond show on Oct. 5). The benefit event on June 20 will show the 1988 film "Psycho-Punk Splatter Comedy" at the Fridge art gallery in D.C., starting at 7 p.m. Admission if $5.